The Voyagers in… Hong Kong
by RevvEmUp
Summary: Ninth installation of The Voyagers. The Voyagers are on another routine mission, this time to Hong Kong. Because of Springer and Fallback's injuries, they are unable to transport the team. As a result, Minerva has employed the help of the Rescue Bots!
1. Chapter 1

In the year 2029, Simon, Al, and Theo were walking through the streets of a high-tech city with flying cars and shiny metallic buildings. "Faxian, the most technologically-advanced city in China. It's even better up close." Simon commented as he admired his surroundings. "Never thought you would choose this place, Al." Theo said to Alvin. "I read about some Kung Fu matches here. I just had to see it!" Alvin responded. "While you guys are doing that, I have an excavation on the other side of the country in the Henan Province." Simon said, slightly disgruntled.

"I didn't know the country was that big!" Alvin argued. Simon spots something in the sky, a glint of light. "What is that?" Simon wondered. The object falls closer, revealing itself to be a red-hot portion of Cybertron, identified by its hexagonal structures. "Take cover!" Simon yelled.

He, his friends, and the innocent bystanders flee from the scene as the chunk falls into the river next to them. They all run to the railings to the side of the river and stare at the alien object. "Is that a piece of Cybertron?" Alvin wondered. Approaching the crowd from behind was a tall, slim Cybertronian in white with orange accents. "Tyger Pax…" the Cybertronian uttered as everyone turns around to him.

In the Autobot accommodation wing of the Hub Dome's ground floor, Fallback was lied down on a Cybertronian-sized metal hospital bed in the wing's infirmary. Springer approaches him, still wearing oversized arm supports for his injured arms. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Springer asked Fallback. "Bloody ripper." Fallback answered sarcastically. "And I thought I had it bad. Your energon processing tank is breached." Springer said.

Fallback groaned. Visiting Fallback as well were The Voyagers who used a mobile industrial elevator to rise to his level. "Hey, Fallback. We got you something." Finn told him. The team stands aside and reveals a giant bouquet of metal flowers behind them. "Acid Waste azaleas. We had them imported straight from Cybertron." Chad explained.

"We knew you were from there, so we thought we got something from home." Jake said. "Aww, ya shouldn't have. These things made livin' in that festy place worth it." Fallback said nostalgically. "Usually at this time we're supposed to be given a mission. I don't know how we can do any of that when you guys are all messed up like this." Finn said. "Maybe your mum'll give you all a break." Fallback suggested. Metal clanging is then heard from within Fallback's body cavity.

"Speaking of which, look who's droppin' ou'a my guts." Fallback commented. A Minervabot emerges from Fallback's lower torso cavity, drenched in red energon and other mechanical fluids. "Voyagers, I just received more intel on a possible civilization." Minerva told them. The Minerabot projects a map of the world, zooming into a country just below the giant crater. The map then zooms into the coastline of the lower region of the country.

"That's Hong Kong, a city in China." Simon noted. "We intercepted a number of mixed signals sourced in the area, but we cannot pinpoint it accurately. Your mission, as usual, is to investigate the source and help in any way you can." Minerva instructed the team. "What about transportation? Fallback got his guts and arm ripped out, Springer can't fly, and Afterburn is still under repairs." Seamus wondered. "No worries. I have already called upon a specialized team who were glad to accompany you all to Hong Kong." Minerva told them. The bay doors of the wing open up for The Voyagers to direct their attention to it.

Emerging from the morning sunlight was a dark blue police muscle car blaring its red-and-blue sirens, a green bulldozer, and a red-and-white traditional cubic fire truck. They drive up to the infirmary area and transform. The police car transforms into a robot mode with very large forearms with the front wheels mounted on the wrists, proportional fingers, back wheels placed within their shoulders, and a head bearing a chevron-crested helmet and red-and-blue sunglasses-like visors mimicking a police siren light. The green bulldozer transforms into a very top-heavy robot mode with very large fingers at the end of their arms, slim legs, treads loosely woven within his arms, and a squarish head with a yellow construction-style helmet. The fire transformed into a boxier robot mode similar to Pyro or Megatronia, including a blue visor below their helmet.

"Everyone, this are the Rescue Bots." Minerva introduced the new Autobots to The Voyagers. "Hi, I'm Boulder!" the green Autobot introduced himself in a deep, yet friendly voice. "My name is Chase. I am thirty-three-million years old. My house is in the northeast section of Iacon, where–" the blue Autobot introduced himself in a monotonous, and ironically a robotic, tone before being nudged by the fire truck Autobot. "That's enough, Chase. T.M.I., y'know." the fire truck Autobot scolded him with a rough-sounding voice. "Name's Heatwave, professor at the Rescue Bots Academy in Iacon." the fire truck Autobot introduced himself.

"We are the Rescue Bots; an Autobot organization dedicated to emergency rescues throughout the galaxy." Chase introduced his group. "I remember you guys! You passed yourself off as drones in Griffin Rock back in the early twenty-tens." Simon noted. "So, you're the human from before the war?" Heatwave wondered. "Not only that, but he was one of the best antiquarians of the forties! I have several e-books he wrote in my database." Boulder commented. "You wrote books?" Finn asked Simon.

"I've been recommending them to you for months!" Simon answered. "We shall be outside in preparation to depart." Chase said before transforming into vehicle mode. "We'll see you in a bit." Heatwave told them before transforming into vehicle mode. The two the drive to the exit as Boulder stayed behind. "It's nice to see humankind is still flourishing after these years. This road trip is gonna be great!" Boulder told them happily before transforming into bulldozer mode and following the rest of his team.

"You all should prepare for departure as well. Get to headquarters and gear up. Dismissed." Minerva told the team. The Minervabot then crawls back inside Fallback's innards. "Let's get to it." Finn said as he pulled a lever to lower the elevator. "You think they'll be fine?" Springer asked Fallback. "They'll suss it out." Fallback told him.

Meanwhile under the Hub Dome in the deep labs, a Minervabot was analysing something under a microscope. Next to her on the table were six vials of blood, each labelled with the names of the team. Under the microscope were blood cells in plasma, and several odd specks. The MInervabot zooms into the specks and finds nanobots branded with the mask-like symbol on Agito's owner's strange pistol. "Where and when did you all get these?" Minerva wondered.

In a barren desert with a single strip of road, a groundbridge opens for the Rescue Bots to emerge in vehicle mode. Inside Heatwave were Finn and Jake as Chase held the rest of the team in their usual spots. "Are we in the right place?" Heatwave wondered audibly over his radio. "How far are we to the source?" Finn asked Heatwave. He displays a G.P.S. on his console screen.

"We're ways away! This is going to take a while." Heatwave groaned. "Why don't we talk in the meantime? This is the first time we've met for hundreds of years!" Boulder suggested. "I agree. I want to know more about you guys." Elisa said. "Why did you agree to come with us? Is there something of significance to you in Hong Kong?" Simon asked them. "We had a fourth member, Blades. When Optimus Prime ordered the Autobots to pursue the Decepticons in deep space, some stayed behind to protect the planet. Blades wasn't the bravest, but he stayed behind in Hong Kong when we left." Heatwave explained.

"We haven't seen him in a thousand years, not even a deep-space message." Boulder added. "And you think he's still there?" Finn asked. "Correct." Chase confirmed. "In Faxian, specifically. We've been there a couple times before the war. At the time, the citizens of Griffin Rock and Faxian were the only people who knew about our true nature before the arrival of The Fallen in two-thousand-nine." Heatwave explained. "So, this is a rescue mission now?" Seamus suggested.

"That is our primary function." Chase confirmed. "So, what's Blades like? Does he have swords?!" Finn asked Heatwave excitedly. Heatwave stays silent. "He… he used to." Heatwave stuttered. "What does that mean?" Jake inquired.

During the Great War, there were a group of Autobots dedicated to search and rescue, the predecessors of the Rescue Bots. They were called the Protectobots, led by Hot Spot. The other founding members were First Aid, Groove, Streetwise… and Blades. Blades was the most vicious of them all, wanting to cut up 'Cons rather than carrying the injured to safety or other rescue work. There's no arguing that he was the bravest of them all.

When they were expanding their ranks, I was one of the first recruits and Blades was my instructor. I was terrified of him. He had this face that he makes to everyone all the time. It on our first patrol that he really changed, and not for the better. We were responding to a Decepticon conflict in Metrotitan and had to evacuate the neutral citizens.

There was a burning accommodation tower that held several neutrals. I entered through the front entrance and Blades from the roof. We evacuated the citizens as we wend through the floors. We met in the middle when we felt a rumbling beneath us. The building was being bombarded by a Decepticon rocket launcher.

Blades was injured by a chunk of the building falling on top of him, so I had to carry him out. I thought we were gonna make it, but I was almost wrong. The building crumbled on top of us, and I thought we were done for, until Blades pounced on top of me. I awoke some time later, buried underneath Blades. He saved my life by shielding me with his larger body.

I called the rest of the Protectobots to pick us up. I waited days in the headquarters to hear about his status. Eventually, he walked out of the infirmary doors, but there was something different about him. His entire personality turned upside-down; he could barely hold a sword, tripped constantly, and was afraid of heights. This eventually led to arguments within the Protectobot higher command, leading to the disbandment of the group and the full formation of the Rescue Bots as their successor.

"What happened to the rest of the group?" Finn asked. "They all led their own departments within the Rescue Bots, but Blades was left alone. I recommended him to join my team and by some miracle he got in. We started over from then. Student becoming the teacher and all that." Heatwave explained. "He's going to freak out when he sees us!" Boulder commented. "Provided he is still in Faxian. And provided Faxian still stands." Chase added. "Hey, you gotta have some faith for your friend!" Seamus told Chase.

As they drove on the abandoned road, they soon spot dome-like structure in the horizon. "Does anyone see that?" Heatwave inquired over his radio. "It looks like Faxian's dome." Chaser commented. "We're coming, Blades!" Boulder said excitedly. The road rumbles beneath them.

"An earthquake?!" Jake exclaimed. "No, this is a localized vibration! Something's coming from underground! Brace yourselves!" Heatwave warned The Voyagers. They accelerate towards the dome as the road explodes into sand behind them. Emerging from the holes in the ground were giant sand-coloured worms the size of large dogs with mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth that start chasing after them. "W-what are those things?!" Seamus panicked as he looked behind through Chase's rear window.

"If I didn't know any better, I think those are Mongolian death worms!" Simon suggested. "Wow, that name is reassuring!" Seamus responded sarcastically

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

The Mongolian Death Worms chase the Autobots down the road like a tsunami of sand. "Faster!" Finn told Heatwave. "Do you realize how fast fire trucks can go?!" Heatwave responded stressfully. A large projectile strikes the wave of worms and blow them up, leaving a few alive. "What was that?" Jake wondered.

"We're getting a broadcast from the city!" Heatwave announced to his team. Simultaneously, all Autobots play the same broadcast to their occupants. "[To unknown individuals, please proceed into the city. You will be processed for identification. Welcome to Faxian, please behave.]" a female-sounding computerised voice told them in Cantonese and then Mandarin. "What did it say?" Finn wondered. "It said hurry up and get in the city!" Simon told Finn through the radio.

They approach the dome where a part of it opens up like a gate. The Rescue Bots speed through the gates before it slams shut. "Phew, we made it." Boulder sighed in relief. They drive down the road to a checkpoint in front of a beautiful and pristine city with white towers and a grid sky above. They are soon surrounded by a squad of soldiers in sand-yellow high-tech armour with helmets resembling standard jet fighter flight helmets.

They point high-tech rifles at them, the barrel exposed to reveal energy surging through its length. "[Get out of your vehicles!]" the squad's commander shouted in Cantonese. "What did he say?" Finn asked Simon through the radio. "Just walk out slowly with your hands up." Simon told Finn. "And then I bomp 'em all in the face!" Jake added.

"Jake, we need to make a good impression." Finn told Jake. The Voyagers exit the Rescue Bots with their arms up, with the exception of Jake, who remained in his guise as a regular dog, before lining up in front of Heatwave before the squad. All of a sudden, the gate behind them explodes, causing Mongolian Death Worms to flow into the city. "[Retreat!]" the commander instructed his troops. "Rescue Bots, roll to the rescue!" Heatwave announced to his teammates.

They transform into robot mode and engage the attackers. Heatwave used water hoses mounted on his knuckles to push away the worms. Chase raises his hands in the air and exclaims "Power up and energize!" for his hands to transform into glowing blue claws that he uses to crush incoming worms. "You all should get to safety!" Boulder told The Voyagers. "Like we're gonna do that!" Finn replied sarcastically before deploying his sword.

"I'll be over there if you need me!" Seamus said as he pointed away from the gate before running off. As Boulder prepared to face the worms, a shadow casts above them, accompanies by the sound of rotors twirling. The two others turn around and look above to see a white-and-red twin-rotor helicopter like Springer hovering above them. "Is that…" Heatwave wondered in awe. The helicopter manoeuvres closer to the worms and transforms into robot mode, causing them to crash on top of them and kick up some sand they brought into the city.

The robot spins their rotors on their hands to fan away the sand and chop up worms. "You're not getting past me!" a deep, menacing voice bellowed from the robot. The Rescue Bots look in awe at the swiftness of the stranger. When enough yellow fluid drenched the robot's rotors, they stopped and folded back onto their forearms. "Blades… is that you?" Heatwave asked the stranger.

"It's been a while." Blades responded. He turns around and shows his face to them, which was similar to Springers as he bore the same mouthplate in dark blue, but his two eyes were exposed instead of a visor. "Blades, it's you!" Boulder said excitedly as he ran towards Blades for a hug. "It's nice to see you guys, too." Blades responded. "Is that a new alt-mode? You've been busy." Heatwave asked Blades.

The Voyagers approach the reconciling Autobots. "So, this is Blades?" Chad asked. "Yeah, I'm Blades: defender of Faxian." Blades confirmed. "You took out all those worms by yourself in under ten seconds. You're nothing like how Heatwave described you." Finn commented. "That's the old me. The war changed me, I had to defend these people from the mutants beyond the dome." Blades explained. "Glad to see you back to your old self." Heatwave said as he patted Blades' shoulder. "Yeah… yeah…" Blades said in an uncertain tone.

The squad approaches The Voyagers and the Rescue Bots with their rifles aimed at them. "[Stand down, they're my friends.]" Blades told the commander in Cantonese. "[Sorry, _Blades_. Thank you for your help again.]" the commander thanked Blades. They all lower their weapons and walk away. "Looks like you still got that charm for your fans." Heatwave commented.

"I'll take you all to my hangar. You'll have to introduce me to your new human friends." Blades offered. They soon travel further into the city, the structure being not too dissimilar to that of Paris', but in mostly white to contrast Paris' dark colours. The Voyagers were riding inside Blades' cabin, which is almost exactly the same as Springer's. "This place hasn't changed since we left." Heatwave commented. "This takes me back to the summer of twenty-nine…" Simon commented nostalgically.

"Yeah… the Tyger Pax fall…" Blades commented. "Wait, how do you know about that?" Blades asked Simon. "Long story short: I lived for a very long time. I was here when that Cybertronian city fell." Simon explained. "So, you're like that caveman we met a thousand years back?" Blades asked in partial-doubt. "Aw man, Ira was the best." Boulder commented.

"Looks like you guys have your own explaining to do." Finn chuckled. They soon approach a military base where a crowd of people were gathered at the front gate. "What's going on?" Heatwave wondered. "Is it a protest?" Chase wondered. "They're just my fans. It's normal around here." Blades explained.

Blades flies over the crowd; most people holding signs in Cantonese accompanied by illustrations of Blades, his helicopter mode, and hearts. Some people even cosplayed as him in robot mode with frightening accuracy. The gates open to let the grounded Rescue Bots inside the compound. "[We love you, _Blades_!]" a woman's voice screamed into the sky to Blades. "Blades! Blades! Blades!" the crowd cheered for Blades as the gate closed behind Boulder.

Blades flies down to a large hangar with a helipad elevated onto the roof from the inside of the building. He lands on the helipad as the hangar doors open to let the rest of the team inside. The helipad is lowered into the hangar as the rest of the Rescue Bots transform into robot mode. After the helipad is fully lowered and the roof is closed above, Blades lets The Voyagers out before he transforms into robot mode. "Nice place you got here." Heatwave commented as he checked out the hangar interior that closely resembles an upsized American living room.

Blades hurriedly removes his mouthplate and throws it onto the floor, revealing a face with a shade of blue lighter than his mouthplate and a red lower jaw. "I still can't believe it! You came back for me after all these years!" Blades exclaimed in a different, more high-pitched comedic voice. He then hugs all three of his former teammates at once, really tight. "Where'd this come from?" Heatwave grunted before Blades let them go. "Do you realize how terrifying these things out there are?! I can't take it anymore! Every time I close my optics, I can see their teeth… pulsating… and oozing…" Blades shuddered in fear.

"You said you toughened up!" Heatwave said in anger and confusion. "I didn't! All I do is close my optics, wave my rotors around, and hope I don't hit anyone!" Blades responded. "Did you put up this tough-guy persona just to impress your fans?! I genuinely believed that my favourite instructor came back!" Heatwave scolded Blades. "I… I…" Blades said in a voice that sounds like he is about to break into tears. "That's enough!" Simon shouted.

The Rescue Bots and the rest of the team lock eyes on him. "Don't you remember how you started out on this planet? You passed yourself off as mindless machines with a single directive when in reality, you were all full of passion to help others in need." Simon lectured. He then walks over to Blades. "I watched you save those people the day Tyger Pax crashed into Faxian. You fought off the Decepticons not to show off, but because you had to protect the citizens and show them that they can be brave." Simon told him.

"Do you still remember what you said when you defeated the Decepticons?" Simon asked him. "Even a wimp like me can be brave if I try hard enough. I thought nobody would hear that." Blades recalled. "I have really good hearing." Simon said. "Blades… I'm sorry. I… I just looked back to how we first met. I wanted to see the Blades that trained me as much as I wanted to see the Blades that I trained alongside with. I put my expectations too high." Heatwave apologized. "It's alright, Heatwave. It's alright." Blades accepted the apology.

They then hug once more. Seamus starts to cry. "Dyson, are you crying?" Elisa asked. "Yes…" Seamus squealed. "Is this even our mission anymore?" Jake wondered. "I think we can phone this in to Miss Mertens." Chad suggested.

Red light flashes in the room as an alarm blared. "What's happening?" Heatwave wondered. "It's Professor Szeto, she's got a mission for me!" Blades said as he equipped his mouthplate back onto his face. They follow Blades to the television in front of the oversized blue sofa for it to switch on o its own. Displayed on the screen was an Asian woman in her late forties with her black-and-greying hair in a bun and wearing a form of lab coat with a slight blue tinge.

"[_Blades_, I heard that you let some outsiders into the city.]" the woman told Blades in Cantonese. "[These are my friends, the _Rescue Bots_. They brought humans from… somewhere.]" Blades explained in his "tough-guy" voice. Professor Szeto looks down at The Voyagers as Finn waved. "[They are welcome here, as long as they do not cause trouble. I also have a new mission for you.]" Professor Szeto told Blades. "[We have detected a signal from space. We believe it is an audio message, but our receivers are not strong enough.]" Professor Szeto informed Blades.

The screen switches to a geographical map of China where most of the land is coloured yellow to denote sandy terrain. "[According to ancient records, there is a facility to the northwest that contains a stronger receiver. Your mission is to secure the area for extraction.]" Professor Szeto instructed Blades. "[Affirmative. I will travel to the location soon.]" Blades confirmed. Simon steps in front. "[Excuse me, I am Professor _Simon Petrikov_. We are _The Voyagers_, a group dedicated to exploring the world to find human civilization. I request that we come along to this mission. We have plenty of experience in exploration and ask that we aid in the recovery of this receiver.]" Simon requested from Professor Szeto in Cantonese.

"[If I wanted humans to secure the area, I wouldn't have sent _Blades_. You have seen the Death Worms, correct? That's only the least of our worries outside. There are marauders, mutants, and _Decepticons_.]" Professor Szeto told them. "I don't understand Hong Kong, but I think she said there are Decepticons." Chad commented. "There are still Decepticons here?" Heatwave said. "I've been fighting them off for a thousand years. They've been scavenging for technology throughout the Great Gobi." Blades explained. "The Great War already ended. What are they still doing here?" Chase wondered.

"It is?" Blades commented, slightly letting out his normal, wimpy tone. "Look, lady, we can take whatever the desert throws at us! We're going, whether you like it or not!" Finn opposed the Professor.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

"[Who is this?]" Professor Szeto wondered. "[This is Finn Mertens, our leader. Yes, he looks young, but he has plenty of exploration and survival experience for a seventeen-year-old. If we made it here, we can make it out there.]" Simon convinces Professor Szeto. She looks down at The Voyagers with a blank face. "[Fine. You can go. If you perish out there, that is your fault.]" Professor Szeto approved reluctantly. "[_Blades_, the north gate will open in twenty minutes. Prepare by then.]" Professor Szeto told Blades before she ends the feed.

"She said we can go." Simon told his team. "Yeah!" Finn and Jake exclaimed excitedly, complete with a high-five. "Why did you ask?! We had a chance to hang back and relax!" Seamus asked Simon in frustration. "We're on a mission here. Just like last time, if we do something for these people, they may trust enough to open communications between them and Hub City." Chad told Seamus. "Hey, wanna see my giant gumball machine?" Blades asked The Voyagers in his normal voice.

"Yeah!" Finn answered. "Follow me!" Blades told them as he ran past them. The Voyagers follow Blades as the Rescue Bots watch. "I'm just glad we finally found him." Boulder told Heatwave. "Yeah… me too." Heatwave replied with a smile.

Nineteen minutes later, the Rescue Bots carrying The Voyagers in vehicle modes and Blades in robot mode were lined up at a military checkpoint on the north end of the dome as people stood behind barricades behind them to watch Blades take off. Blades was waving to his fans confidently, complete with his right hand put on his hip. "Is he always this show-offy?" Seamus wondered as he looked through Chase's back window. "Yes." Chase told him bluntly. The dome's gate-wall opens up before the Rescue Bots.

"[I'll see you all soon!]" Blades told his fans in Cantonese. He turns around and transforms into vehicle mode for his fans to cheer even louder. "Rescue Bots, roll to the rescue!" Heatwave communicated to his team. "I missed hearing that." Blades responded. The gates fully open for the ground Rescue Bots to drive through as a large hatch opens on a higher portion of the wall for Blades to fly through.

They emerge into the desert beyond the dome. "Blades, where did all this desert come from?" Heatwave asked Blades. "Come to think of it, Faxian is built on an artificial island, if I remember correctly." Simon added. "I don't know, either. I've rarely ventured out of Faxian, but every time I do the desert just expands. One day, the island just… connected with the mainland. Oceans drying up, or something like that." Blades answered. "What was it like before?" Finn wondered.

"Less worse, that's all I can say." Simon replied solemnly. "Everyone, I have estimated an approximate travel time of six hours." Chase announced. "Oh, it will take longer than that. There're worms, bandits, and 'Cons. They're crawling all over the place." Blades informed them. "How… do you deal with the bandits?" Chad asked Blades. "I avoid them. I can't bring myself to attack humans, evil or not." Blades answered.

"Good to hear." Boulder commented. They continue traveling through the desert, unknown that they are being followed. About an hour into their trip, Seamus was already eating through the food supply, starting with the canned meats. "Could you ease up with the eating?" Chad told Seamus. "I stress eat!" Seamus responded nervously.

"It's been a while since we left and we haven't seen anything." Finn noted. "Yeah… this is weird. Usually I get tailed within the first ten minutes." Blades added. "This is the part where something bad happens; we bring up this bad thing, it happens and we get into trouble." Seamus said with a mouthful of potted meat. "Then would this be a bad time to tell you all I am detecting five vehicles incoming from behind?" Chase said. "Called it!" Seamus exclaimed as he pointed his spoon to Chase's console screen.

Flying from the dunes were a convoy of five makeshift buggies manned by bandits with long and unkempt hair, clad in scrap armour. "[Get them!]" a bandit driving in the lead commanded the others in Mandarin. "We can probably take these guys. Their rides look like they could fall apart any minute." Jake boasted. "Be sure not to hurt them too bad. As Rescue Bots we still have to ensure minimal harm comes to humans." Heatwave added. As they drive further into the desert, they see a faint outline of a person standing on the dunes.

"What is that?" Finn wondered as he squinted his eyes at the object. Heatwave displays a live feed of the object on his console screen and zooms in, revealing a bald Asian woman wearing some kind of robe and a metal collar on her neck. She was looking to the side and was holding a wooden staff in her right hand. "Everyone, split!" Heatwave commanded. The Rescue Bots split formation, Blades just flying above her, and reform soon after.

"Who was that?" Blades wondered. The bandits ignore the woman and drive straight for her. The lead buggy almost rams her, only for the woman to vault herself onto the buggy's hood with her wooden staff. She kicks the bandit in the face, sending him tumbling out of the rollcage. She turns the steering wheel to the left, still standing on the hood, and jumps when the rest of the buggies crash into it.

The Rescue Bots swerve to a stop to observe the fighting. "Is she fighting those guys?" Heatwave wondered. "We gotta help her!" Finn said as he and Jake exited Heatwave. They rush towards the fight, Finn brandishing his arm-blade and Jake picking him up on his back and stretching his legs high up in the air. "Can dogs do that?!" Blades wondered in surprise.

"This one sure can." Boulder replied. The bandits exit their crashed vehicles and approach the woman with scrap metal swords and machetes. The woman twirls her staff before pointing it to the bandits. The bandits charge and swings their swords at the woman, but she blocks them with her wooden staff without a scratch. She parries the blades before thrusting her staff into the stomach of one bandit.

Jake jumps and launches Finn into the air. "Hey, bandits, eat my sword!" Finn yelled as he falls towards the bandits with his sword arm extended. He lands with a roll and performs a sweeping kick to knock a bandit off his feet. The other three bandits come for Finn, but he slices their blades in half with one swing of his sword. The bandits look at the remains of their swords with bewildered faces before they are attacked from behind by Jake.

He runs down from a dune on two legs and enlarges his arms, he grabs the bandits by their heads and slam them back and forth onto the desert sands repeatedly. "Eat dust, bandits!" Jake taunted as the woman looked with wide eyes. They fall flat on their faces before Finn as the woman stands before him. "Xie xie." the woman thanked Finn and Jake. "You're welcome, I think." Finn replied as he retracted his sword.

The rest of The Voyagers climb down the dune to meet with Finn. "Hey. You guys alright?" Simon aske Finn. "Yup! We even took out the bad guys." Jake answered. "[Who are you people?]" the woman asked them in Mandarin. "[We are The Voyagers, I am Simon. We're on our way from Faxian to a facility northwest. Who are you?]" Simon asked the woman as Elisa picks up the bandits in the background.

"[I am Li Jishao; shaolin monk. I am embarking on a journey to the west to learn more about this world.]" the woman answered. "[It is nice to meet you, Miss Li. I hope you have safe journeys, especially in a place like this.]" Simon told Jishao. "As do you, Simon." Jishao replied in English. She walks away and disappears into the desert as Simon watches. "What do we do with these guys?" Finn wondered as he looked at all five bandits carried over Elisa's shoulders.

They continue their trip through the desert with the bandits tied up in Blade's cabin. "I'm still not okay with the idea of bad guys inside me." Blades moaned. "They are under arrest for the attempted assault of Rescue Bots personnel and an officer of the law. They are to be detained until we can consult the local law enforcement, if any." Chase explained. "So, Simon, what was the deal with that lady?" Finn asked Simon through Heatwave's radio. "She's just a wandering monk." Simon answered.

"What about that collar though? She looked like she just escaped from a basement." Seamus wondered. "I'm not sure. Maybe its some kind of fashion statement." Simon added. "How close are we to the facility?" Chad asked Blades through Chase's radio. They soon encounter an intact intersection with its southern route terminating into the desert. "Won'cha look at that: a piece of road." Heatwave commented as they came to a stop.

"Should we follow it?" Boulder wondered. "If my records are correct, this route leads to our destination." Chase analysed. "Beats driving off-road. My tires can't take it anymore." Heatwave agreed. The Rescue Bots follow the road north to the facility. "Hey, Finn. Don't you ever think we have too much people in out missions?" Jake asked Finn.

"Not really. I've never adventured with this many people before. It's like playing Age of Grinders with more characters." Finn told Jake. "I mean, we have a lot of people that do stuff for us, but we almost don't do anything." Jake said. "C'mon, we both do things, too." Finn assured Jake. "Maybe I can ask your mom to just have the two of us on one mission, like the old days." Jake proposed. "That… that sounds great." Finn smiled.

They soon come across another shape in the desert, traveling in front of them on the highway. Heatwave captures a feed of it and zooms in, revealing a red semi-truck with a red trailer in tow, seemingly intact and shiny aside from the sand on its. "That's a truck! It looks brand new." Finn noted. "I'm going in for a closer look." Heatwave told his team. He drives closer next to the truck and sees a logo of a white dog with Chinese lettering beside it.

"Jingdong. This must be a Red Knight!" Heatwave said. "What's a Jingdong?" Jake asked. "A pre-war online shopping company that used Secure-T drones called Red Knights to autonomously transport goods across China. I can't believe this one is still operating." Heatwave answered. "A Red Knight? Maybe its going our way?" Blades suggested. "And deliver what? Who is even at this facility?" Seamus wondered.

"We'll have to see for ourselves." Heatwave said. They continue following the road and ahead of every turn the Red Knight is ahead of them. They soon encounter the ruins of a city covered in sand. "We're almost there." Blades told the team. They follow the Red Knight through the city until they see a factory in the desert under attack by various multi-coloured vehicles and defended by identical Autobot drones as tall as Optimus Prime, armed with Transformer-sized laser rifles.

"That must be the facility!" Blades noted. Simon notices a sign in front of the factory reading "Panasonic". "Panasonic? That can't be right, they make house appliances!" Simon said. "Those must be Decepticons! Let's move!" Heatwave rallied. "Decepticons?! Can't I just stay behind and watch the humans?" Blades asked meekly.

"Blades, this is your mission. You have to participate in it somehow." Boulder told Blades. "I haven't fought Decepticons in millions of years! I've chopped worms but that's it!" Blades argued. The Red Knight beside Heatwave transforms into a form of the red drones. It turns around to face the trailer as it unfolds and transforms into an artillery platform.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

"So cool…" Seamus said in awe as he ogled at the weapons platform. "So, what's the plan?" Heatwave asked Finn. "Hmm… I think you guys should distract the Decepticons while we run into the factory. They're gonna focus more on you than us." Finn suggested. "We're doing what?!" Blades moaned. "We're Autobots. It's what we do. Let's show these 'Cons what Rescue Bots can do!" Heatwave rallied.

"Rescue Bots, roll to the rescue!" Heatwave declared. The Voyagers evacuate from the Rescue Bots vehicle modes before the Autobots move in towards the factory. They watch as the Rescue Bots drive off. "So, we just wait?" Seamus asked Finn. "Yeah, just wait until those Decepticons are distracted enough." Finn answered.

The Rescue Bots converge towards the factory. "Wait, I think I know these guys." Blades said. "You do?" Boulder added. "They're the Aerial Warfare Subjugation Taskforce, they were part of that Decepticon invasion in China when Tyger Pax fell off of Cybertron. I was there in Faxian when they invaded!" Blades pointed out. "How dangerous are they?" Heatwave asked.

"They took down High Tide!" Blades panicked. "Wow, they are tough." Heatwave said. As a purple and gold Cybertronian jet Decepticon swoops towards a Red Knight, Heatwave transforms into robot mode and punches it into the ground away from the drone. "You're welcome." Heatwave told the Red Knight. The jet Decepticon transforms into robot mode and faces Heatwave.

"[A real _Autobot_… now it's a real fight!]" the Decepticon said in Mandarin. He deploys a missile launcher from his right hand, only to be blinded by Heatwave's water jets. Meanwhile, the rest of the Rescue Bots faces against four more Decepticons; three Cybertronian jets and an Earth helicopter. "On my signal, we run straight into the factory." Finn told his team. Once Heatwave pushes the purple jet away from the large garage door-like loading bay, Finn yells "Now!" for everyone to run towards the factory.

They cross the road between the city and the factory, trying not to be caught in the crossfire. They weave through the stomping of metal feet and fiery explosion as they sprinted towards the factory. "Why couldn't I just stretch across this?!" Jake yelled. "You're stretchy, not invulnerable! You're gonna get bashed by their metal bodies of you do that!" Simon yelled. "Oh yeah, I forgot." Jake realized.

They almost make it to the loading bay entrance, when a large object lands on top of them and kicks up a sand cloud before The Voyagers, stopping them in their tracks. The sand settles and reveals a feminine purple jet Decepticon "[Humans, clean ones too. If you're here to scavenge, this place has already been claimed by _Fallen Angel_ and the _A.W.S.T._]" the Decepticon told them in Mandarin threateningly. "I know I should be scared, but I don't know what she's saying." Chad said. Elisa steps up and shoots Fallen Angel in the knees with her dual M.H.M.s.

The beams burn straight through Fallen Angel's kneecaps for her to collapse to the side. Fallen Angel shrieks in pain as she curls up. "Let's move!" Finn yelled before they run into the loading bay. "[Come back! I want to kill you!]" Fallen Angel yelled into the loading bay. They enter the building for Seamus to slam the loading bay door switch closed.

Inside the factory was a futuristic packaging area with conveyor belts, robotic arms, holographic computers, and an energy core in the centre of all that bearing the "Panasonic" logo. "Look at all of this tech! It's like we never left Hub City!" Chad noted. "Spread out! The receiver's here somewhere!" Jake commanded. Simon walks up to a conveyor belt to see triangular robotic vacuum cleaners being packed into boxes. "The place is still in production." Simon pointed out.

Seamus finds a hole blown in a wall with a shaft below. "Let's check downstairs." Seamus called to his team. "Looks like someone managed to get in already. We need to hurry before they take whatever tech is down there." Simon hurried. Jake enters the shaft and stretches into a pulley elevator basket. "Going down." Jake said, his face on the short elevator wall.

The team steps into Jake's elevator basket before descending slowly. "Doesn't this feel weird to you?" Seamus asked Jake. Jake's face manifests on the interior wall parallel to Seamus. "A lot. I'm kinda used to it, being an adventurer for ten-plus years." Jake answered. They pass floors containing assembly lines for different appliances from televisions to domestic robots.

"Why would a powerful receiver be in a Panasonic factory?" Simon wondered. "We're about to find out soon." Finn said as they approach the bottom of the shaft. They arrive at the bottom for Jake to open a door on his basket to let everyone out before stretching back into dog form. On the bottom floor was a large hole in the wall, about the size of a Transformer.

They walk through the hole, finding clear pipes lining the walls of a dark hallway, flowing with green glowing liquid. "What is this stuff?" Finn wondered. Chad takes out a scanner device and scans the pipes. "Energon, synthetic." Chad observed the results on his device's screen. "That would explain how those drones are still up-and-running along with the rest of the facility. They refuel here." Simon added.

As they reach the end of the hallway, they find a massive laboratory filled with unfinished Red Knights on assembly lines and machines producing synthetic energon. "Be careful, whoever broke in might still be here." Finn warned his team. They soon hear a voice echoing from across the lab. "Don't touch that!" a familiar voice yelled. "Gomenasai." another voice apologized.

"Do not apologize to this… mercenary…" yet another voice snarled. Finn shushes his team before sneaking across the laboratory floor. They walk towards the source of the voices, the arguing growing louder. "… This is why I never bring clients to my jobs!" the first voice yelled. The Voyagers hid underneath a large conveyor belt as they spied on the intruders.

They find Lockdown, Megaempress, and Lunaclub in an argument. "I just want to make sure you get the job done!" Lunaclub argued in English and with an uncharacteristically aggressive tone. "Then. Don't. Touch. Anything! These walls are filled with synthetic energon! One wrong move and we'll be blown back to Cybertron!" Lockdown scolded Lunaclub. "Lockdown and Megaempress? Why are they here?" Finn wondered. "I just want to find the receiver!" Megaempress cried.

"And you shall, my lady. Your father awaits us." Lunaclub assured Megaempress. "They're after the receiver!" We have to find it before they do!" Jake said. "What are we going to do? They're six giant robots, and we're six small flesh creatures! The Rescue Bots aren't even here to help us!" Seamus wondered. "Wait, I have an idea!" Jake said. He runs off and whisper-yells "I'll be right back!".

"Jake, wait!" Finn whisper-yelled to Jake before banging his head on the underside of the conveyor belt. Lockdown and the Five Deck hear the metal chiming and faces The Voyagers. "You… what are you doing here? How did you get past A.W.S.T.?" Lockdown asked them threateningly. "Ah! It's you guys again!" Megaempress pointed to them. "We're here for that receiver!" Finn yelled.

"Too bad, we shall be obtaining the satellite receiver for our own!" Lunaclub rebutted. "Since when were you so chatty?" Finn wondered. "You do not recognise me, understandable. Perhaps this will jog your memory!" Lunaclub yelled. Red light emerges from her chest area and coalesces into a humanoid shape as The Voyagers watch in horror. The light forms into the shape of Starscream.

"Starscream?! What happened to you?" Finn asked. "You destroyed the last of my physical form! I'm now reduced to my spark! This one was willing to become my vessel… too willing." Starscream answered as he turned around to see Lunaclub's unconscious, yet euphoric face. "I sought out Lord Megatron's heir so we could both search for my Lord. We hired this… thug, to locate a receiver in order to do so." Starscream answered. He pulls his ghostly form back into Lunaclubs body. "I also see you did not bring any Autobot reinforcements. This is all too easy." Lockdown chuckled.

"As the Japanese day; saraba da!" Megaempress said as she aimed her fusion cannon-ladder boom at The Voyagers. "Let me handle this. That weapon is too volatile to be used here." Lockdown warned Megaempress. Lockdown aims a Cybertronian rifle at them as The Voyagers prepare their own M.H.M.s, though they were trembling with the exception of Finn. "Jake, where are you?" Finn wondered. Just as Lockdown pulled the trigger, a giant red foot flies towards his face, causing him to misfire and shoot the walls and ceiling.

The Voyagers look back and see Jake using a Red Knight as a suit of armour. "Nani?!" Megaempress yelled. "Yeah! Go, Jake!" Finn cheered. "Go find the receiver, I'll handle these guys." Jake told his team.

He charges and tackles Lunaclub. He knocks her down and punches her face left and right. Starscream emerges from Lunclub and jumps towards Jake, only to phase through him. "What the–" Jake said in surprise as he looked back. "Lockdown kicks Jake in the face and slams him into machinery.

"Stupid dog… you're making me look bad!" Lockdown scolded Jake. Jake gets up and dusts himself off. "Man, this armour's great!" Jake said excitedly. Starscream rushes to him and swipes his claws to no effect. "Woah, a robot ghost!" Jake said before he is punched by Megaempress.

"Ow!" Jake yelped. "I want to finish off the dog!" Megaepress declared. "No, he has Ni'Rah blood! I want to put him on the market!" Lockdown declared. "This plan worked differently than expected. I should probably bail." Jake thought as he watched the argument. "Enough of this!" Lockdown yelled.

He shoots Jake with his rifle, only for the armour to fall apart without Jake inside. "What?!" they all yelled. "Hey, dink-faces!" Finn's voice echoed. They looked at Finn and The Voyagers standing atop an observation platform. "Lookin' for this?" Finn yelled as he held a box-shaped device above his head.

"It was surprisingly easy to find!" Seamus yelled. "Hand it over!" Lockdown yelled. "No!" Finn yelled. Megaempress takes aim with her fusion cannon once more. "No! They have the receiver!" Lockdown warned Megaempress.

"Sayonara, baka!" Megaempress taunted. She fires her fusion cannon at the observation deck, only for the beam to pass through The Voyagers, revealing them to be holograms. Instead, she hits a glass tank full of synthetic energon. "I hate humans." Lockdown moaned. The Voyagers were ascending the elevator shaft within elevator-Jake as the bottom floor exploded.

"Faster!" Seamus told Jake. They climb back to the ground floor and rush outside. Once outside, they see the Rescue Bots cheering triumphantly with the Red Knights as the Decepticons fled into the sky. "Hey, do you have the receiver?" Blades asked them. "Yep!" Finn answered before presenting the receiver to Blades.

"Great work. Let's return to Faxian." Heatwave told The Voyagers. The ground beneath them shakes before a hole in the ground bursts behind the factory. Lockdown and Five Deck are sent flying into the sky. "We're blasting off again!" the Five Deck yelled simultaneously. They disappear into the sky with a twinkle of light.

"What happened down there?" Boulder wondered. "There were these Decepticons we know, the Five Deck. They were looking for the receiver to find Megatron." Finn told the Rescue Bots. "Megatron? What happened to him?" Blades wondered. "He surrendered the Decepticons to the Autobots and then disappeared. Nobody's seen him for a thousand years." Heatwave informed Blades. "For now, you can report back to Szeto with the good news." Chase assured.

"You were brave today, Blades." Boulder told Blades. "Yeah… I guess I was." Blades accepted. "Let's go, I'm frying out here!" Seamus complained. As The Voyagers entered Blade's vehicle mode, Starscream spies on them through the eyes of a Red Knight.

THE END


End file.
